Exodus, Chapter 5

5:1 And afterward Moses and Aaron went in, and told Pharaoh, Thus
saith the LORD God of Israel, Let my people go, that they may hold a
feast unto me in the wilderness.

5:2 And Pharaoh said, Who is the LORD, that I should obey his voice to
let Israel go? I know not the LORD, neither will I let Israel go.

5:3 And they said, The God of the Hebrews hath met with us: let us go,
we pray thee, three days journey into the desert, and sacrifice unto
the LORD our God; lest he fall upon us with pestilence, or with the
sword.

5:4 And the king of Egypt said unto them, Wherefore do ye, Moses and
Aaron, let the people from their works? get you unto your burdens.

5:5 And Pharaoh said, Behold, the people of the land now are many, and
ye make them rest from their burdens.

5:6 And Pharaoh commanded the same day the taskmasters of the people,
and their officers, saying,
5:7 Ye shall no more give the people straw
to make brick, as heretofore: let them go and gather straw for
themselves.

5:8 And the tale of the bricks, which they did make heretofore, ye
shall lay upon them; ye shall not diminish ought thereof: for they be
idle; therefore they cry, saying, Let us go and sacrifice to our God.

5:9 Let there more work be laid upon the men, that they may labour
therein; and let them not regard vain words.

5:10 And the taskmasters of the people went out, and their officers,
and they spake to the people, saying, Thus saith Pharaoh, I will not
give you straw.

5:11 Go ye, get you straw where ye can find it: yet not ought of your
work shall be diminished.

5:12 So the people were scattered abroad throughout all the land of
Egypt to gather stubble instead of straw.

5:13 And the taskmasters hasted them, saying, Fulfil your works, your
daily tasks, as when there was straw.

5:14 And the officers of the children of Israel, which Pharaohs
taskmasters had set over them, were beaten, and demanded, Wherefore
have ye not fulfilled your task in making brick both yesterday and to
day, as heretofore?
5:15 Then the officers of the children of Israel
came and cried unto Pharaoh, saying, Wherefore dealest thou thus with
thy servants?
5:16 There is no straw given unto thy servants, and
they say to us, Make brick: and, behold, thy servants are beaten; but
the fault is in thine own people.

5:17 But he said, Ye are idle, ye are idle: therefore ye say, Let us
go and do sacrifice to the LORD.

5:18 Go therefore now, and work; for there shall no straw be given
you, yet shall ye deliver the tale of bricks.

5:19 And the officers of the children of Israel did see that they were
in evil case, after it was said, Ye shall not minish ought from your
bricks of your daily task.

5:20 And they met Moses and Aaron, who stood in the way, as they came
forth from Pharaoh:
5:21 And they said unto them, The LORD look upon
you, and judge; because ye have made our savour to be abhorred in the
eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of his servants, to put a sword in
their hand to slay us.

5:22 And Moses returned unto the LORD, and said, LORD, wherefore hast
thou so evil entreated this people? why is it that thou hast sent me?

5:23 For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in thy name, he hath done
evil to this people; neither hast thou delivered thy people at all.